macOS Big Sur Upgrade for Beginners The newest version of macOS is heading to Mac devices near you.

As IT leaders, your job is to get Big Sur’s new features and system into the hands of users, all without disrupting workflows or slowing productivity. Contrary to other ecosystems, major versions There are four key reasons of Apple’s operating systems, macOS, organizations should embrace iPadOS, iOS and tvOS, are released annually. upgrades and empower end When devices are running old software, users to update their device(s) consistency, security and user experience are the day new operating systems all compromised. This is especially true when are released: organizations attempt to support a variety of devices and OS platforms with a single 1. Reduce security vulnerabilities management solution. 2. Keep end users happy A combination of the simple upgrade path and $0 cost for Apple OS upgrades help 3. Keep users productive drive industry-leading adoption rates for 4. Access new IT management features consumers. End users are excited to access the new features; yet, you’re responsible for maintaining security controls and an accurate This guide provides you with a thorough systems inventory at all times. understanding of the new Mac , and ways to carefully prepare for and As most IT organizations know, this may be implement an upgrade. You’ll learn how to easier said than done, especially when it minimize disruptions and eliminate unplanned comes to upgrading at the pace your Apple downtime, while gaining the knowledge to users are expecting. Now for the good news. deliver organizational value and walk users At Jamf, we’ve been doing this for more than through their macOS Big Sur upgrade. 18 years, and are here to provide step-by- step guidance for successful Apple upgrades — regardless if it is your first, fifth or 18th OS season. What comes with the new macOS?

There are a lot of new and great features involved with these operating system. The workflows between iPhone, iPad and Mac have never been so seamless and are continuing to get better. If you have some time, it is worth viewing the full list of new macOS Big Sur features, but here are some of our favorites that we think matter to you. What Brand new UI macOS managed software updates With macOS Big Sur comes the largest Managed software updates allows MDM design upgrade since OS X. A clean, modern admins to delay software updates on comes with look and feel is coming to your device. With supervised devices. By delaying the huge improvements to key apps like , availability of software updates, you can test the new and Maps, your device will get critical apps and infrastructure before rolling it a great makeover while maintaining and out to your team. macOS? enhancing the power and flexibility you adore. All of these changes can be used to make your Control Center users more productive, better equipped for their day, more self-reliant and have an overall Designed just for Mac, a new Control Center better work experience, but what are the best will offer your favorite menu bar items in a ways and steps to getting these features to single, customizable place. Add the apps and your users in a timely fashion? settings you want to be able to access in your Control Center, pin it to the menu bar and adjust what you need, when you need to. Arm yourself with previews of 2 Participating in the beta not only gives upcoming releases from the you early access to test new features and Apple Beta Software Program to compatibility, but it also offers a deeper Get ahead get an early look at how new OS understanding of how the end-user versions and features will impact experience will be impacted. Knowing which with beta your organization. new settings have been added, any features that have moved, or changes to labels can Apple is regularly updating its operating inform necessary updates to your training systems, which means participating in the materials, onboarding kits, etc. This helps beta program provides months of testing your organization best prepare for changes to ahead of an operating system release. Apple the end-user experience, so you can execute STEP offers AppleSeed for IT which provides free a more user-centric support model and 1 beta programs for macOS, iPadOS, iOS and communication plan accordingly. tvOS. To join, sign up with your Managed 3 Lastly, in addition to new OS settings Apple ID you use Apple Business Manager or and features, application, infrastructure and Apple School Manager. management compatibility testing is critical Why join beta programs? for continuity with current software offerings in your environment. We recommend you run 1 The beta cycle for these operating Apple’s betas to test their deployed apps for systems typically occurs in multiple phases. issues. Use your AppleSeed Managed Apple Participating early and submitting feedback ID in the Feedback Assistant to report any to Apple increases the likelihood that the issues. features and issues that impact you most will be addressed. And, if you are the first to submit a bug report to Apple, you’ll have visibility into the status of your ticket whereas duplicate bug reports are closed. Testing For best results and to ensure 2 Applications the upgrade won’t impact any Includes both web and non-web-based unforeseen aspects of your end applications. If you don’t have time to test users’ workflows, be sure to test all apps, prioritize based on an application your entire tech stack including: vendor’s statements related to compatibility.

1 Infrastructure macOS Big Sur includes changes to legacy kernel extensions. Consult your vendor(s) to Includes anything outside of your application see if they support Apple’s modern System stack, such as VPN or testing printer drivers STEP Extensions framework. 2 (which should always be tested with new operating systems). Testing infrastructure is 3 Management less of a concern for organizations moving toward cloud-hosting services. Includes device deployment and management solutions (MDM, EMM, UEM, etc.). Check that your device management solution offers the ability to test new restrictions, management capabilities and features. Chances are your organization Some choose the route of ranking apps into may be using a variety of priority buckets of high, mid and low levels of different apps. After all, you have importance, while others look at the usage a variety of teams that are using of each app and prioritize accordingly. Once Prioritizing devices in vastly different and that is decided and broken out, recruiting individual ways. Prioritizing your representation from each department (Finance, Marketing, Sales, etc.) to test can your tests app testing is critical to success. help understand their day-to-day uses and make sure things go as smoothly as possible.

2STEP There are several ways to accomplish upgrades on a Mac. The most common upgrade path for macOS is an in-place upgrade. An in-place upgrade involves installing the operating system while keeping user data intact. Upgrading Ready to upgrade? to macOS Once you have decided to move forward with an upgrade, you need to determine what to do with the existing data on your Macs. Are these shared in a lab? Are they assigned to a specific user? The bottom-line question you need to answer — do you want to keep the data intact? Big Sur

Keep Data Pro tools to package and deploy the new operating system in Jamf Self Service where There are 4 methods to deploy the new users can start the upgrade on their own. macOS for your users with the data intact. In Caching the install file on users’ Macs will STEP all of these options, using the Caching Service reduce your network load. 3 within macOS will help reduce network traffic. Consider using this service on your network. 3 Similar to the Jamf Self Service option, All four of these options will get you where download and cache the on users’ you need to go. Macs. Instead of waiting for users to start the upgrade, create a policy to do it automatically. 1 Macs enrolled via Apple Business Manager Users will need to reboot their Mac. or Apple School Manager can be upgraded by sending an MDM command to download and 4 Alternatively, you can simply encourage install macOS Big Sur. Users are prompted to your users to download and run the “Install allow a restart. macOS Big Sur” app from the Mac . Admin rights are required for this option. 2 Download the “Install macOS Big Sur” app from the . Leverage Jamf Erase Data

Since you have decided to erase any data on 2 Similar to the Jamf Self Service option, Upgrading the existing Mac, you can utilize two methods download and cache the installer on users’ to complete your upgrades. macOS Big Sur Macs. Instead of waiting for users to start the to macOS requires an internet connection to upgrade upgrade, create a policy to do it automatically. macOS. Users will need to reboot their Mac unless Big Sur using --eraseinstall. 1 --eraseinstall option is a command to install macOS and erase the hard drive at the same 3 Alternatively, you can simply encourage time. Simply download the macOS Big Sur your users to download and run the “Install installer from the Mac App Store and upload macOS Big Sur” app from the Mac App Store. via your MDM solution. Deploy macOS Big Sur Admin rights are required for this option. STEP via policies: 1) cache the installer on client Mac 3 and 2) run startosinstall with the --eraseinstall flag. Start install automatically or place in Jamf Self Service. A final note, and one Steps to preparing end users to be very conscious of 1 Not every end user is aware of the Communicating throughout this process, time it takes to upgrade. Inform users is communicating openly, of the average upgrade time and to end users transparently and often to provide tips on the best time of day your end users about what to upgrade. is going to happen with 2 Recommend that your end users their devices and what back up their device(s) before they their role will be. update. This applies to localized and iCloud backups. Whether you are communicating to 3 Implement a policy to require end them about when they can upgrade, users to update within 30 days from what the process will be, or why they the start date you determined or let won’t be able to upgrade for a set them know you will update for them. period of time, including them and PCIDSS compliance requires 30 days. opening a two-way communication line will lead to a smoother process. Use email, your company’s intranet, or if using Jamf, your Jamf Self Service STEP One of the major aspects that app catalog, to give users plenty of 4 communication may help control, warning and recommendations prior very simply, is the number of help to OS upgrades. They’ll thank you desk tickets or calls you receive on for it (or if all goes well, they’ll say this topic. Additionally, getting ahead nothing.) of these requests and calls will keep your end users happy, as well as engaged in the process should you need their assistance at some point. Upgrade, enhance and enjoy macOS Big Sur brings improvements and workflow enhancements to make your devices the flexible, customized machine you need and expect from Apple.

Providing a seamless upgrade process to your Jamf is the only Apple Enterprise Management organization not only ensures security measures are solution of scale that automates the entire lifecycle of met, accurate system inventory is maintained and Apple in the enterprise, including device deployment, downtime is eliminated, it will make IT look like the management and security, and upgrades without heroes they are. A purpose-built Apple enterprise negatively impacting the end-user experience or management solution equips you with the tools you requiring IT to touch the device. need to take advantage of the latest Apple OSs without negatively impacting end users or putting abundant strain on IT personnel.

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